WASHINGTON _ What a difference a little bipartisanship makes.
The Senate wrapped up an unusually productive week after the failed Republican health care vote with several smaller-scale legislative accomplishments.
Among the flurry of action Thursday, the Senate confirmed of dozens of President Donald Trump's nominees that had been logjammed amid the partisan standoff over the GOP efforts to repeal Obamacare.
Ambassadors, agency staff and officials in the defense apparatus all saw their nominations sail to easy confirmation. It was more confirmed in a week than the entire year so far, aides said
Among them were former Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to be U.S. permanent representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and Ray Washburne, of Texas, to be president of the Overseas Private Investment Corp.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., offered his party's cooperation as a gesture of goodwill toward bipartisanship after the failed vote last week to undo the Affordable Care Act. Democrats had mounted an unusually strong wall of opposition that stalled approval of many of Trump's picks.
In accepting the outreach, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was able to clear the backlog and serve up a win for Trump and the agencies, many in desperate need of staffing.
At one point, McConnell planned to keep senators in session through mid-August. But on Thursday they were poised to salvage the wins they could, and then take a break.
